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Southern Utah University

Spring Semester 2026

Comparative Public Policy (Face-to-Face)

POLS 3670-01

Course:	POLS 3670-01
Credits:	3
Term:	Spring Semester 2026
Department:	PSCJ
CRN:	12611

Course Description

Explores why public policies ranging from social welfare, education, and immigration differ markedly from nation to nation. Focuses on contrasting cultures, state institutions, societal organizations, or some mix of all of these explanations. (Spring - Even Years) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

1) Text: Stella Z. Theodoulou & Ravi K. Roy. 2016. Public Administration: a very short introduction. Oxford University Press.

2) Scholarly journal articles and book chapters will be assigned for each module from library online journals and ebooks

Learning Outcomes

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the public policy process literature and apply that to concrete real world contexts. Typically, the literature of policy process is organized into models, theories and practices dealing with agenda setting, policy formulation, implementation and evaluation. Specifically, we will examine why certain issues and problems reach the political agenda and why others fail and why some solutions are adopted and others rejected. Also, we will examine why certain policies fail while others succeed in solving the problem. Scholars study public policy to improve policy outcomes for the society. After laying an analytic foundation, we will examine a series of case studies dealing with real policy issues. Some of these issues include healthcare, welfare reform and environmental pollution. Students are encouraged to discuss specific policy issues related to their localities and their work.

Course Learning Objectives

Students will acquire the following skills:

Demonstrate an understanding of the foundational concepts of public policy;
Demonstrate an understanding of how these concepts relate to the various public policy typologies;
Distinguish the roles played by formal and informal actors in the policy process;
Assess the importance of action versus inaction;
Articulate a general overview of the policy process;
Apply concepts, theories, approaches and frameworks to real world concrete policy phenomena

Course Requirements

Select journal articles are assigned in each course module. Prompts related to each course Module, will be assigned to which each student will prepare a 3 page paper.

ATTEND & PARTICIPATE IN CLASS SEMINAR DISCUSSIONS.....20%

MODULE PROMPT WRITTEN REFLECTIONS................................20%

FINAL PAPER..................................................................................40%

FORMAL CLASS PRESENTATION of FINAL PAPER......................20%

ATTEND & PARTICIPATE IN CLASS SEMINAR DISCUSSIONS

As noted below in the "Attendance Policy", all students are expected to attend all scheduled face-to-face classes in person and all scheduled in-class meetings for hybrid classes. All students will be graded according to their level of class participation in all scheduled face-to-face classes.

MODULE PROMPT WRITTEN REFLECTIONS

Each student will complete a two-page written response to one prompt question for each module.
Your written responses to these prompt questions are meant to help make sure you are tracking with the material and assist you in participating in weekly class discussions.
There are 8 module topics covering the introduction to the policy process, followed by an analysis of the various "stages of the policy process".
Each module will take approximately one to two weeks to cover, depending on the density and complexity of the material.
(This means that each student will complete a total eight of these two-page prompt responses over the course of the semester.)
Each module includes detailed lecture slides and assigned readings that each student will be responsible for studying and learning both inside and outside of class. Get ready to read! This is a reading intensive class!!!!.

FINAL PAPER

The purpose of the final paper assignment is for you to draw on the analytical exercises that were emphasized in the various module activities that you had to complete over this course. For this final assignment you are to write a 3,000-word, double-spaced essay in which you prepare a thoughtful response to the following problem:

Select a major national policy of a “democratic” country (i.e. the US, Canada, India, Britain, Australia) of your choice with which you are conversant and that once enjoyed wide public support and that was initiated during a period of great political momentum but is currently being stalled in the implantation stage of the policymaking process or one that was implemented successfully but is now reaching the policy termination stage. A National Healthcare policy and a National Immigration policy in the USA are good examples.

You have been called in as a policy advisor to resuscitate the policy you have chosen. Drawing on lessons and insights from the readings and lectures on how the policy process works, apply these lessons and insights to provide concrete recommendations that you would propose to reinvigorate the policy.

In your essay make sure to use APA style, include at least 3 scholarly sources, and consider the following:

1) Strategies related to the issue of problem definition for how the issue might be reframed in ways that might breathe new political life into a dying issue

2) The application of specific agenda setting techniques for getting the issue back on to the systemic agenda and formal (institutional) agendas

3) How the policy might be successfully reformulated in light of recent political developments, realities, constraints, challenges, and opportunities. You should draw on specific strategies that we covered in the module on policy formulation

4) How the political environment is viewed in a contextual overlay to your policy

There are 3 parts to this assignment:

Part 1: Policy Topic
- Select and submit your policy topic to the instructor using the submission link on your Course Site.
Part 2: Essay Outline
- Develop and submit your essay outline to the instructor using the submission link on your Course Site.
Part 3: Final Essay
- Develop and submit your final essay to the instructor using the submission link on your Course Site.

FORMAL CLASS PRESENTATION of FINAL PAPER

Guidelines On How To Organization Your Presentation WILL Be Handed Out In-Class

Course Outline

Week 1: Introduction: What is Public Policy and How Does it Relate to Public Administration

Weeks 2, & 3: Foundations of The Public Policy Process

Overview

These are the topics and activities that will be covered in this module.

Topics:

- Public Policy: A Brief Synopsis

- Power

- Authority and Legitimacy

- Representation

- Public Interest

- Elitism versus Pluralism

- Public and Private Goods

- Equity and Justice

- Efficiency and Effectiveness

- Policy Typologies

Weeks 4: Policy Arenas & Actors

Overview

These are the topics and activities that will be covered in this module:

Topics

- Policy Arenas

- Organizations and Institutions

- Organizational Arrangements

- Policy Subsystems

Required Activities:

4-Page response to the following prompt:

Weeks 5 & 6: Intro to The Theories and Approaches of the Policy Process

OVERVIEW

•Outline Theories and Approaches of the Policy Process

•Stages Heuristic

•Incrementalism

•Rational Choice Approach

•Advocacy Coalition Framework

•Multiple Streams Approach

•Punctuated Equilibrium Model

Required Activities:

· Read article

· Theodoulou & Roy Chapter 3
4-Page response to the following prompt: Identify a long-standing controversial health-related policy that is affecting your community or region (perhaps recent changes related to the ACA) that are currently being revisited for possible change. Write four to five substantive paragraphs commenting on the relevance of both rational vs. incremental policymaking in helping you understand the manner in which policy change occurs in the real world. Cite concrete examples from the policy you identified.

Weeks 7 & 8: Problem Identification & Definition

Overview

•Private Issues versus Public Problems

•Policy Beliefs and Perceptions in Agenda Change

•Agendas as Social Constructions

•The Social Construction of Target Populations

•Policy Identification as Social Constructions

•Multiple Social Realities and Issue Identification

•Framing Public Issues

•Factors Influencing Problem Identification

Required Activities:

Read Article: Arthur T. Denzau and Douglass C. North’s article entitled “Shared Mental Models: ideologies and institutions,” Kyklos, 1994. (Available on library E-Reserves)

· Read Article: Wesley W. Widmaier, Mark Blyth, Leonard Seabrooke, “Exogenous Shocks or Endogenous Constructions? The Meanings of Wars and Crises, in International Studies Quarterly,” Volume 51, Issue 4, pages 747 - 1006 (December 2007). (Available on library E-Reserves)

· Read: Theodoulou & Roy Chapter 4

4-Page response to the following prompt: Drawing on insights brought out in Denzau and North’s article on Shared Mental Models, write four to five substantive paragraphs on your thoughts about how beliefs limit our ability to engage in rational planning in the real world. Consider how political and social norms and beliefs figure into real world policymaking. In your discussion provide a concrete example to illustrate your conceptual points.

The purpose of this activity is to understand how beliefs and ideologies inform actor’s notion of rationality.

Week 9 & 10 Agenda Setting Models

Anthony Downs Agent Setting Model

Overview

•Down’s Issue Attention Cycle

•Pre-Problem State

•Alarmed Discovery

•Realization of the Cost

•Gradual Decline

•Post-Problem State

Read Article: Anthony Down’s “Up and Down with Ecology: The Issue – Attention Cycle” in Public Interest, 28, (1972), pages 38 – 50. (Available on library E-Reserves)

John Kingdon: Multiple Streams Approach

•Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Models

•Problem Stream

•Political Stream

•Policy Stream

•Policy Windows

Read Article: “The Politics of Agenda-Building: An Alternative Perspective for Modern Democratic Theory,” by Roger W. Cobb and Charles D. Elder in The Journal of Politics, Vol. 33, No. 4 (November 1971), 892 – 915. (Available on library E-Reserves)

Cobb & Elder: Politics & Agenda Setting Model

•Cobb and Elder Agenda-Setting Model

•Issue of Concern

•Systemic Agenda

•Institutional Agenda
Read Article:
Sabatier & Smith: Advocacy Coalition Framework

Required Activities:

4-Page response to the following prompt: Consider a pressing health issue that you believe to be important in your community, region, or nation but that is currently not receiving the public attention required for genuine agenda action. It may be a health issue that was once high on the public agenda’s priority list but has since moved off or an issue that has been lingering for a while and is experiencing a prolonged period of failure to launch. Drawing on insights brought out in the article, write four to five substantive paragraphs that identify some of the dynamics that you believe are holding the issue back.

Week 11 Policy Formulation

–Technical Knowledge and Expertise in Policy Formulation

•Public Choice Economics

•Conceptual Approaches in Application

–Comparative Approaches to Public Policy Formulation

–Macro Policy Formulation

Week 12 Policy Implementation

–The First Wave

–The Second Wave

–The Third Wave

–International Politics and Implementation

Week 13 Policy Evaluation (And Termination)

•Various Forms of Evaluation

•The Influence of Economics on Policy Evaluation

•The Origins of Policy Analysis

•Distinct Types of Policies Require Different Forms of Evaluation

•Measuring Equity in Regulatory Policy Implementation

–Termination

•Policy Termination as a Political Process

•Why Policy is Rarely Terminated

Weeks 14 & 15

Student Presentations

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

NO LATE WORK WILL ACCEPTED IN THIS CLASS!!!!
Employers expect that those they hire arrive on-time and complete all of their work in a professional manner. To prepare students for the real-world and help them hone a strong professional work ethic, all students in enrolled in this course will be held to firm deadlines and high performance standards.

EXCEPTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, ILLNESS, AND FAMILY EMERGENCIES
Very rare exceptions to the very strict "NO LATE WORK POLICY" policy may be made for students with physical and/or mental challenges who have first secured support from the SUU Disabilities Resource Center. Also, at the sole discretion of the instructor, exceptions may be made students for reasons of unforeseen personal illness or illness or death of a close relative. In any case, formal documentation from a physician or other pertinent authority will be required to be given consideration for an extension of any deadline for any assignment for any reason.
(Note: SUU's pregnancy policy is outlined clearly elsewhere in this syllabus).

Attendance Policy

All students are expected to attend all scheduled face-to-face classes in person and all scheduled in-class meetings for hybrid classes. All students will be graded according to their level of class participation in all scheduled face-to-face classes.

Group work assignments are assigned in this class and students must be present to complete them.

At the sole discretion of the instructor, students may receive an excused absence for reasons of unforeseen personal illness or illness or death of a close relative. In any case, formal documentation from a physician or other pertinent authority will be required to be given for consideration any excused absence for any reason.

The professor will excuse absences for student athletes only for instances and under conditions that are specifically outlined under SUU Policy 6.30: https://www.suu.edu/policies/06/30.html

Course Fees

No fees will assessed in this course

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

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